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kleonard's review against another edition
2.0
A quick read of mostly novelty pieces centered around the holidays. While a few of the short stories are solid, the interviews with elves and whatnot are often awkward and not much fun to read, like bad SNL skits.
usfsigepjoe's review against another edition
5.0
I listened to this on audible over the last two days, having to keep myself from an all day binge.
If I could give the collection more than 5 stars I would.
One piece of advice... don't read/listen to "Sarah's Sister" if you have to be somewhere and don't want to look like you've been crying!
If I could give the collection more than 5 stars I would.
One piece of advice... don't read/listen to "Sarah's Sister" if you have to be somewhere and don't want to look like you've been crying!
teachinsci's review against another edition
5.0
I have read many of Scalzi's books over the years. I also enjoy short stories. This set of stories was one of the best I have read. My only problem with it it's that it was over too soon.
It is trite to say, "I laughed, I cried', but the truth is that I frequently laughed and Scalzi wrote a story intended to make gore mother-in-law tear-up that works on others too.
My favorites were the interview style stories, particularly the one with Santa's reindeer wrangler. I enjoyed it so much I insisted my wife read it immediately.
I recommend this book for anyone who enjoys Scalzi's writing or, frankly, wants to have a laugh this holiday (or anytime).
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book.
It is trite to say, "I laughed, I cried', but the truth is that I frequently laughed and Scalzi wrote a story intended to make gore mother-in-law tear-up that works on others too.
My favorites were the interview style stories, particularly the one with Santa's reindeer wrangler. I enjoyed it so much I insisted my wife read it immediately.
I recommend this book for anyone who enjoys Scalzi's writing or, frankly, wants to have a laugh this holiday (or anytime).
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book.
hollygraph's review against another edition
3.0
This was a fun Christmas read. Like with most collections of short stories some were fantastic and others were just ok. I loved all the stories with the interviews.
jfkaess's review against another edition
4.0
This is a collection of short stories. A few of them are 5 star stories, especially 'An Interview with Santa's Reindeer Wrangler'. A few are 3 star stories and a few 4 star stories. It's a fun collection for Christmas, and there is one story which is very serious and heartwarming. If you like Christmas stories (and one poem) and if you enjoy John Scalzi's quirky and fun writing, this is a no brainer.
greyhairedkid's review against another edition
4.0
Audiobook. What it says on the tin: Christmas-themed short stories. A bit fluffy, more than a bit uneven, but most made me smile.
zlibrarian's review against another edition
4.0
As John Scalzi states in the introduction, “Christmas (and the holidays on either side of it) gives me something to write about and have fun with on an annual basis”, and for some years he’s done so on his author website and other places. If you’re a fan of his fast-paced science fiction novels, this may -- or may not -- be for you. I don’t know. All I know is that sometimes the need for escapism manifests as a need to laugh, and this collection, which includes three previously unpublished pieces, answers. In this book, Santa’s lawyer discusses liability; there’s a lively argument between a human narrator and a sentient, fridge-raiding month of November; a Thanksgiving grace that includes alien invasion, a robot uprising, and dinosaurs; poetry; political satire; and short fiction, as well as giddily satirical articles claiming to tell the true origins and purposes of Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s music, TV holiday specials, and social behavior. So is this satire, fantasy, or science fiction? All three! Enjoy. Maybe give someone A Very Scalzi Christmas as a gift.
egalligan's review
emotional
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25